The good news is that water softeners are much easier to troubleshoot than they used to be, and while water softener repair can be challenging, with the right kind of knowledge, you can fix even the most common issues when your water softener is not working and get it back up and running in no time.

We know all about the most common issue with water softeners. With so much humidity in the air when you put too much salt in the brine tank, salt will get hard and caked together. The Water Softener unit will regenerate and wash the salt out of the bottom of the tank during cycle. The salt above the water line has gotten hard and caked together so, it will not fall to the bottom of the tank. You can kick on the bottom of tank and you will actually hear it is hollow and you will have to break up the salt and make it fall to the bottom.

Remember a lot of brine tank have a plastic plate at the bottom. It is about 6 inches from the bottom so, do not poke the broomstick to the bottom of tank or you will damage this plate. Use a broomstick or something try to break up the salt, if it is not breaking up get a pitcher of very hot water, and pour on the inside of the tank around the edges and then tap around the edges of tank. You will see it fall to the bottom. Some people give the brine tank one swift kick and they will see fall to the bottom. If you need more help there is videos on You Tube “How to break up a salt bridge”.

The Water Softener unit needs brine water “Salty Water” to wash the resin during regeneration to make the calcium let go of the resin bead so it can be washed down the drain at the water softener. So, if there is no salt at the bottom of tank to dissolve it will not have brine water, just plain water. This is because plain water does nothing to remove the calcium from the beads so, it will regenerate but the calcium will not let go of the beads. When it finishes regenerating the water starts to pass by the beads but have no place to stick to the beads because they are full of calcium so, the calcium comes into the house and you have hard water.

If you find a salt bridge, break it up then you need to do a manual regeneration cycle. Bur remember it takes salty water brine water. The salt and water need to sit for a while about 4 hours, it will regenerate the cold water will be soft. If you had hard water for a few days the hot water will take a few days.

If you find no salt bridge you will need to have your system looked at. Simple Water Softeners repairs many brands just give us a call (210) 960-2555 we will see if we can help you out.

If you live in an area with hard water like San Antonio, Texas, using hard water to wash your clothes, bathe, or cook can leave you with build-up of soap residue and mineral deposits on your skin, hair, and clothing. A water softener can help you prevent this buildup, which is why water softeners are so common in areas with hard water and become even more popular during the cold winter months when everything seems to be covered in a layer of ice and snow! Here’s how a water softener helps with hard water from Hill Country Water Softeners of San Antonio, Texas.

7 Benefits of Having a Water Softener

1. Installing a Water Softener with a Whole House filter.

While most people think of hard water as being unsightly, it is actually more than just an annoyance. It can cause problems for your plumbing and your home in general. If you’re tired of dealing with hard water, there are solutions for it—and one of them is installing a whole-house water softener system. This system can make drinking healthier, better tasting water easy. Here’s how to get started

2. Saving Money on Your Electric Bill

While a little bit of hard water isn’t necessarily harmful, San Antonio and surrounding areas the hardness is too high. Without a water softener the calcium will build up quickly in your hot water heater. It will take about 24% more energy for your hot water heater to function. It will also shorten the life of the hot water heater greatly. You will void your warranty if you own a tank less in our area if you do not have a water softener.

3. Showering in Clean Chemical Free Water

The city adds chlorine, chloramine or chloride to your water to kill bacteria while it is in route to your house. There is also herbicides, pesticides, and organics in your water.  Water Softener will remove the hardness of the water by changing salt into sodium chloride, which removes excess minerals and chemicals from you shower water. Making soft water come into the house.

The Whole House Filter will remove the chlorine, chloramine, chloride, pesticides, herbicides and organics. About 80 contaminants from your water. This process ensures that you don’t have hard water or that you have the chemicals on your skin or in your lungs. Skin irritation for those sensitive to chemicals (e.g., eczema). A water softener and whole house will remove what is irritating your skin. Hardness that dries you out and the chemicals that are inflaming your condition. keeps you from scratching away at rashes.

4. Cleaner Laundry (Reduced Chlorine Stains)

One of the biggest issues caused by hard water is that it can leave behind mineral deposits in your laundry. These deposits make your whites look dingy and yellow, stiff and they will fade quicker. A water softener removes these excess minerals from your water supply, which helps your expensive clothing, linens etc. stay brighter, softer, and last longer.

5. Clearer Skin and Hair

With its drying effects, hard water can have an adverse effect on your skin and hair. People living in areas where there is hard water use up to twice as much shampoo and conditioner just to keep their hair looking good—not to mention regular visits to dermatologists because of skin issues related to hard water. With your new water softener, you’ll be able to finally get rid of those dull locks and dry patches on your face.

6. Reducing Mineral Build Up

The presence of mineral deposits in your home’s water can cause white residue to appear on shower glass, faucets, dishes and hard water stains in the toilettes. The minerals build up in all appliances that use water. Hot water heaters are very affected by hard water build up. (No water softener in San Antoni and surrounding areas you should drain hot water heater every six months). The washing machine, dishwashers, steam irons, and yes those expensive coffee pots without removing the excessive hard water minerals in San Antonio you are shortening the life of all. With a water softener the calcium and magnesium are removed from your household’s tap water supply. Everything in the house is protected.

7. Keeping Plumbing Pipes Free from White Deposits

Your hard water can be damaging to your pipes. If you have any white deposits on your showerhead, faucets or drain pipes, that’s an indication of how much sediment is building up in your water supply. Prevent these deposits by installing a water softener system; you’ll enjoy cleaner, clearer and more pleasing-to-the-eye water.

For more information about our Water Softeners and Whole House Filter please call Lisa at (210) 960-2555.

Do you know that a water softener is the hardest working appliance in the house?.  The water softener is the one appliance so many will try to go the economical way. But you know,  a water softener protects your biggest investment, your home. It protects everything that the hard water touches. The hot water heater is very much affected by hard water so, you can shorten the life span drastically.

Also, washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker, faucets, glass on the showers all effected by the hard water and not in a good sense, just costly. Your clothing, linens all fade quicker get stiff and dull so much quicker. All of these items are expensive to maintain or replace because of the effects of hard water.

Your hair and skin are dry even itchy from the hard water. Yet people will go to the big box store and it has a familiar name on it and purchase a water softener. Must be good. Remember San Antonio has some of the hardest water in the United States. There is a difference in how low cost water softeners work and higher quality work. So many will remember the $650.00 price tag to purchase yet forget the $450 install fee.

Quality water softeners give you 24 hour protection from the hard water. Quality softeners will last up to 4 to 5 times longer. When sized properly it will give you soft water to all the bathrooms and fixtures having the proper flow rate for your house. It will regenerate every 7 to 10 days at the most with some going further. Making it more efficient to maintain for salt and water usage over a long period of time. A higher quality system will save you so much in the long run.

Protect what you own from the hard water. At Simple Water Softeners we will give you the quality at a very affordable price. Call us today at (210) 960-2555.

This is a common question, all water softeners will work off either one. Salt and potassium used to be close in cost but that is not the case anymore. There is a large price difference in them anymore for example Salt prices is average $6 and Potassium is $23. Water Softener system will use the same amount with salt or potassium so most people use salt.

People who are on very low sodium diets need to contact their doctor to find out what is best for them. If it is too much sodium for their health, then the option is to have a reverse osmosis system that will remove 97.5% of the sodium in the water. It is more economical to maintain the reverse osmosis than regenerating with potassium. Most people on city water with city sewage do use salt on the other hand Potassium will help our environment.

People who have septic tanks may also consider using potassium. Look into where the drain is going from the water softener. Some builders will drain to the ground somewhere. Other builders drain to the septic tank. Newer septic tanks have a fourth chamber just for the water softener. If it is lateral find out where the lateral lines are.

High content of sodium is not good for vegetation. If you have an aerobic system that will be spaying out from your septic to protect your vegetation and some trees you may consider using potassium. You have to try and see what works for you. Some people who have a large area will consider using salt and drain the water softener off to a specific area and make a rock garden where they can contain the salt in one specific area. Talk to your septic tank people and discuss your options. It seems there is no set rules each septic tank company will have their own views.

This will be decisions you will need to make for yourself each situation will bring its own special issues. 

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call (210) 960-2555 or use this contact us form.

If you have a reverse osmosis system in your home you need to change filters. Read up on the brand you have and be sure to follow the instructions and change it, this will keep the water flowing. Also you will need to change the membrane since on so many units you only do every four- or five-years people seem to forget it. The membrane is what makes the water into bottle quality water, it will remove 97.6% of everything. The other filters remove the chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and organics but for it to be bottle quality the membrane must be functioning.

So many people never add air to the tank, this is important to know because the water in the tank is inside a bladder that is inside the tank. When you put air in the tank it pushes against the bladder to make the water come out. If the air gets low, you will not be able to empty the bladder to full capacity. You will get like a half of coffee pot and it will stop. There is a place on the back of tank just like on a bicycle tire then you use a bicycle pump to put the air. You need to be careful if you over fill with air you will bust the bladder. Yes, the tank can be ruined so, empty the tank of all water. Add air usually around 6 or 8 lbs of air which is usually a half of pump.  If you want to know more there are quite a few videos on You Tube.

If you want to know more about Reverse Osmosis filter or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call (210) 960-2555 or use this contact us form.

We all have an insurance, from Health, Auto, Home, right? so, make sure to have it for all the appliances that use water in your house and everything that the water touches in your home if you don’t have a good Water Softener. In San Antonio and surrounding areas, a home without a softener will suffer the ugly consequences. A Water Softener is one of the most important appliances you will own, it is like an insurance policy for everything dealing with water in your house.

A good water softener protects the plumbing in your house and keeps the pipes from becoming full of limestone. The first appliance the water softener protects is the hot water heater. An average cost for a hot water heater is $1,800 not to mention you may end up with a cold shower. Have no water softener with the water as hard as it is in San Antonio you will need to drain your hot water heater at least twice a year. If you have a tankless make sure you read your warranty since most companies void your warranty if the water is more than 10.5 grains hard if there is no softener. Your hot water heater uses approximately 25% more electricity when there is no softener.

The expensive appliances that we all buy today like the upgraded washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, coffee machines and steam machines all have a longer life with a water softener and work more efficiently. Even the bathrooms with the expensive faucets, shower doors, upgraded vanities keep their spa quality looks. Clothes, linens, and towels are also expensive and you want to keep them looking newer brighter and softer for a longer time period.

Hair, skin and laundry are so much better with a water softener, your kids will have bubbles and more bubbles and there is significant savings in soaps and cleaning products. Many people buys a low-grade water softener or something that works intermittently. More over people think because the unit is using salt it is working and is Not always true. Buy a water softener that has quality parts and you will be problem free for many years, also look for water Softeners with quality parts can be repaired. Quality water softeners set up correctly and sized properly will be much more cost efficient over the years.

With the right water softener you are protecting more than you could think, so give us a call and let us help to protect and preserve what you have worked so hard for. At Simple Water Softeners we feel everyone in San Antonio and surrounding areas should have a quality softener with the substantial savings. We offer our customers the most affordable water softener in San Antonio. Give us a call today at (210) 960-2555.

Yes, you need to change filters on the reverse osmosis water systems. Read up on the brand you have and be sure to change this will keep the water flowing. Change the membrane since on so many units you only do every four- or five-years people seem to forget it. The membrane is what makes the water into bottle quality water. It will remove 97.6% of everything. The other filters remove the chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and organics. But for it to be bottle quality the membrane must be functioning.

So many people never add air to the tank. The water in the tank is inside a bladder inside the tank. When you put air in the tank it pushes against the bladder to make the water some out. If the air gets low, you will not be able to empty the bladder to full capacity. You will get like a half of coffee pot and it will stop. There is a place on the back of tank just like on a bicycle tire, you use a bicycle pump to put the air. You need to be careful if you over fill with air you will bust the bladder. Yes, the tank will be ruined. There is quite a few videos on You Tube.

If you want to know more about Reverse Osmosis filter or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. Call Lisa at (210) 960 2555. or use this contact us form.

Whole house filter can work very effectively to remove the disinfecting chemicals the municipal water facilities put in your water to get it to your house. Whole house filters substantially remove chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and organics. They can remove chloramine if the proper type of carbon is used. You can find out what chemicals are used by contacting your water supplier and asking.

Whole house filters come in different styles, a lot of water softener companies will put what they call a big blue filter. It is a filter housing holding a single carbon filter which you will need to change from anywhere to once a month or once every three months. Put all in one tank, the water softener, and the carbon, then you need to know how it is in the tank. Is it all just mixed up together? Is there a plate, dividing it? How it is in there will make a difference. If there is a plate you can change the carbon. How much carbon you have in there will determine how often, yearly or every other year.

At Simple we do not believe it should be mixed at all with the resin since you would have to change all media, resin and carbon completely. No carbon will last as long as your resin will last, taking out a portion and replacing with new still leaves the nasty in with the good. Also, we prefer the Whole House Filter to be in a separate tank. This is because we feel over a long period of time it will be lower maintenance cost. The media can be changed every two to three years and it gives you the capability to by-pass. Yes, you can by-pass and you will still have soft water. It gives you the choice to have chlorine run through the lines of house if you desire. Also gives you the opportunity to by-pass when it comes time to change, until you have time to do the service.

The most important thing to a whole house filter is to maintain it. Carbon is like a sponge, it gets dirty over time and it needs to be changed, or you will be getting worse water instead of better water. Remember your family deserves the best.

If you want to know more about Reverse Osmosis filter or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. Call Lisa at (210) 960 2555. or use this contact us form.

Reverse Osmosis or RO is a commonly used water filtration system. It is a simple, straightforward, and effective way to remove most harmful contaminants, making the water safer to drink. Many experts recommend it for residential water filtration. At Simple Water Softeners, we’re happy to explain how this system works. Here’s a look at what you need to know about Reverse Osmosis.

What is Reverse Osmosis?

Reverse Osmosis is bottle quality water. Same process the large water companies use just shrunk up and put under your kitchen sink. Reverse Osmosis is a straightforward filtration system that pushes unfiltered or feed water through a semipermeable membrane, separating the permeate water from wastewater or brine. The filter allows most of the water molecules through while blocking all contaminants in it. The water passes through the more concentrated part of a membrane, where all pollutants are removed, and it floods the less concentrated part. This process can filter out contaminants like:

• Salt
• Fluoride
• Sediment
• Arsenic
• Chlorine
• VOCs
• Pesticides
• Herbicides
• And more

RO systems aren’t very effective against viruses and bacteria, but water supplied by public plants is thoroughly decontaminated, so there’s no need to worry about it.

How Does RO Filtration Work?

RO systems send feedwater through several pre and post-filters to remove as many contaminants as possible. Simple’s Reverse osmosis has 6 stages Here’s a look at how this works:

• Pre-Filters. Water is first pushed through a series of pre-filters to remove most of the sediment and other such solids. This stage effectively removes any solid that hasn’t dissolved in water. Pre-filters are also known as sediment filters, and most RO systems have at least one present.

• Carbon Filters. RO system has 2 pre-filter carbon filters a that helps remove volatile organic compounds or VOCs from the water. It removes chlorine and similar contaminants while improving the overall taste of water as well.
• RO Membrane. Once the water passes pre-filter, it is pressured through an RO membrane, where approximately 97.5% of the dissolved compounds are removed. The RO membrane handles the bulk of the filtration, making sure the water has reached bottle quality standards.
• Storage Tank. All of the purified water is directed to a storage tank after going through an RO membrane. The system will continue to purify water until the tank is full before stopping automatically.
• Post-Filter.  The stored water passes through a post-filter before reaching the dedicated faucet. There is two stages in this filter. This final filtration ensures there are no harmful contaminants in the water, and is of the highest quality.

RO systems are highly effective and great for both residential and commercial settings. If you are concerned about contaminants, harmful substances, and want to improve the overall quality of drinking water, this system is a good choice. You can use it under the sink  and there is a possibility your refrigerator can also be connected.RO is most suitable for producing drinking water.

If you want to know more about reverse osmosis or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call (210) 960-2555 or use this contact us form.

It is important to know how to by-pass your water softener and everybody should know this. There are several different by-pass valves. Some you must push something, others you turn knobs. It is very important for you to figure this out before you have an emergency and realize you do not know how to do it.

The Clack valve comes with a high quality easy to use by-pass, two red handles on the back of unit.

• When they are straight with the lines they are in service.

Unit in service

• When they are sideways with the lines it is on by-pass.

Unit on by-pass

The red handles have a more pointy end to the handles, so when they are pointing towards each other the unit is by-passed. When unit is by-passed, the water is no longer going through the system and the water is coming straight from the meter. So, if you have any issues with the water softener you can by-pass it.

If you have a white by-pass you are to push in the by-pass. Others have a solid black one with two dials, you turn  both a quarter turn and it will by-pass. The units will say by-pass and arrow will dedicate direction to turn.

If you want to know more about Water Softener By-pass, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call Lisa (210) 960 2555.